Hail to the Chief

Saturday afternoon, with dusk coming on,
Panama's mild-mannered President Daniel Chanis screwed up his courage
to summon Colonel Jos´ ("Chichi") Remón, chief of national police, for
a painful interview. The press had been pounding hard with charges of
police grafting in the control of slaughterhouse and bus-line
operations. After the latest blast in the Panama American, Chanis had
made his decision: Remón must go.

Just how ailing, uncertain President Chanis expected to bring the trick
off was something of a mystery. Remón, the strong man and orderkeeper
for every Panama administration since...